City commissioners approved with no opposition at their Monday night meeting rezoning land illegally being used as a dirt parking lot next to the establishment, enabling owner Patty McGee to go ahead with her plans.

"Tonight's the night we give you the opportunity to better the site," said Mayor Bob Benton. "This is a step, I hope, in the right direction."

Commissioner Eddie Becht abstained from voting because of a conflict from representing McGee as her attorney.

Without the rezoning, McGee said she wouldn't have been able to move forward with her plans for the establishment, which opened at 401 S. Ocean Drive in 1947. Plans include adding a large outdoor stage, more outdoor seating, a second kitchen, more bathrooms and a parking lot.

McGee insisted she would be able to address residents' concerns, as well as apply for a $400,000 Small Business Administration loan, with the rezoning.

Because slightly more than 20 percent of the 141 notices sent to property owners within 500 feet of the establishment returned didn't approve of the rezoning, the commission needed a four-fifths majority to approve it.

"The time has come to address the issue," McGee said. "Archie's is a valuable addition to Fort Pierce and South Beach."

She said her plans to build a closed-in, soundproof stage would alleviate the worries of residents who complained about noise from live music.

McGee also changed the future planned entrance to State Road A1A and avoided using residential roads.

Parking issues would be resolved with the rezoning because the land with the dirt parking lot was zoned for residences destroyed during the 2004 hurricane season.

Carole Mushier, president of the South Beach Association, said the establishment isn't at fault for being on land zoned residential.

"Maybe it was a sleepy little place many years ago," she said, "but things do change."

Mushier said commissioners can hold McGee to her plans to deal with residents' concerns when submitting the site plan to the city.

With the rezoning, Mushier said the establishment would better serve residents regarding noise, traffic and parking.

"We see this as a win for the residents," she said, "not just a win for Archie's."

In other business, commissioners postponed until the next commission meeting giving final approval to the plan to change the boundary between the city's two election districts to account for population changes in the past 10 years.